Introvert, Extrovert: Two Princesses · 8:36am Sep 19th, 2014
I just had a thought flit through my head: What if Celestia is an introvert, while Luna is an extrovert?
Comics canon says Luna IS extroverted. She's enthusiastic around other ponies, she's comfortable being herself when she has some reference point for an activity, she enjoys parties and talking and play. Luna trusts others fairly quickly, if they seem harmless. In show canon, she's mostly Princess Luna, playing a more formal role, and that can take over one's identity if allowed; but even on that fateful Nightmare Night, she showed that even afraid for her image in the eyes of others, she can be playful and friendly -- she wants to be loved, and to participate in the doings of her people. While certainly being bookish is a common view of Luna, that may be a remnant of not having good company during the nights when she was awake doing her duty -- what else would she spend her free time doing if nopony wanted to chat and play? I'm not counting her time during the Thousand Years, as she was (by word of Faust) not properly conscious during that period.
Celestia, on the other hoof, appears to be more distant with others. She spends most of her time doing Princess stuff. When she makes friends, it is ponies who are already connected to her, and whom she trusts. She dislikes the nobility (or at least the formality) enough to prank their most-favorite party, the Grand Galloping Gala. Certainly a lot of that could be connected to having to deal with formal and political BS all day every day, but there are more than nobility attending; surely more than six guests came from locations outside Canterlot? In personal appearances, Celestia is always The Princess. There's a sly and playful side to her, yes, but that's only shown to very close friends, a definite trait of introverts (and often a trait of people in very formal, very public positions, like national leader -- but not always).
Now, we go back to the opening story of the show: Celestia, the introvert, sits serenely on her throne being a good ruler as the ponies play and work during the daytime, showering her with affection because she's there, even if she doesn't need quite so much of it as they give. Luna, the extrovert, spends her nights alone, tormented by the lack of ponies and attention, unsure if she is loved, respected, or even thought of by anypony at all.
Suddenly it becomes that much clearer why Luna lost herself in the Nightmare. No coward she, nor madmare either; but she was susceptible because her need for social contact simply was not being fed. Celestia is pleased to be loved, but seems content to be a distant demigoddess, loving her ponies but rarely involving herself directly. Luna would take anything that let her satisfy the need, even for a moment, for getting attention of any sort. Even painful and unwanted attention would feed it.
Humans have this problem as well, particularly neglected children. Even painful and unwanted attention is attention; they'd to anything to feed that need, even if they don't realize that this is why they're doing it. The Nightmare slips in, and grows dominant. Luna attacks her sister, claiming Celestia is deliberately keeping the love of their ponies for herself.
And eventually, freed of the Nightmare, Luna begins to work through her traumatic neglect issues, reverting to her proper nature as somepony who likes to have relationships and get her hooves dirty. Meanwhile Celestia walks gracefully through life, happy to acknowledge her ponies, but not to participate overmuch in their lives.
This is now my headcanon.
Nopony's responded to this? Odd, this was a good read. It makes me appreciate even more how well these characters are written.
This also backs up the the Celestia and Luna we often see here on fimfiction: A noble approaches the throne with a bizarre suggestion that only leads to personal gain for the noble in question and annoyances or even suffering for his/her fellow ponies.
Celestia's response: "I shall take your suggestion into careful consideration" *nods to Raven who starts the process of stonewalling the evil little scheme*
Luna's response: "What nonsense is this!? Begone from our sight, knave! And do not return until you have lived up to you 'noble' heritage!"
So what's your take on Luna's behavior in the comic? Is she overcompensating a bit, being as outgoing as she is there?
3069740 I haven't read much of the comic, but I think that may be so. Luna in the comics is bold, with an almost overwhelming personality at times -- such persons can tend to bully or push others around by sheer force of personality, and not always realize it. With a sister who can handle both sun and moon, she doesn't have to worry quite as much about overseeing only the night. She can spend more time with her subjects, protect the realm from multiple directions, and make up for a LOT of lost time. On top of that, urban cities now have a solid night life!
Getting extra contact, feeding that hunger inside that she needs so desperately to fill, would drive her to higher levels of action and more intense behavior. Playing the guardian and protector of the realm (often a courtesy title for a ruler! but thanks to her dreamwalking ability and combat training she can do it for real) feeds her need to be important. And having found that she does indeed get to play and participate, she definitely seems to go overboard with ponies who let her bully them. I think also, it's because she's less mature, and may still be growing up in some ways (having always been the little sister). Younger siblings are often a bit wilder; it's a sibling dynamic you see in humans a lot, where the youngest of a family gets away with a lot more stuff.
Ohhhh. Now her turning into Nightmare Moon makes A LOT more sense.